The Calm Living Blueprint: Social Anxiety, Anxiety, Stress & Mindfulness

Dealing with Grief Over the Holidays 11.07.2026 19m

An exploration on grief, especially when felt during the holidays.

Love or Fear 11.07.2026 28m

Love or fear? Which do you choose?As I was reflecting on what the topic could be for this podcast episode I became aware that we’ve talked a lot about fear. And, rightly so… I believe that at the heart of all anxiety, depression, self-hatred, feelings of unworthiness… if we go deep enough, if we peel back enough layers… we always find fear at their root.But I find myself being a bit concerned about focusing on fear so much… I liken my concern to the same reason I don’t believe all those anti-whatever campaigns will ever be effective – anti-drugs, anti-cancer, anti-war and on and on. All the focus of those campaigns is on the darkness. Fighting, battle. The energy behind all those campaigns is fear. And what are you ultimately going to get with fear? Where are you going to get by trying to get rid of the darkness?So in today’s episode I want to bring in the light.In a sense we’re still talking about fear… but we’re approaching it differently. We’re not trying to rid ourselves of the darkness, we are bringing in the light.And to do that I want to talk about love.Let’s talk about love.

Comparing Yourself to Others 11.07.2026 18m

Okay, fess up. We all do it. I’m talking about comparing ourselves to others.Yeah. You ever catch yourself doing that while you’re browsing Instagram or Facebook? When you overhear someone’s good news about a job promotion or a vacation that they are taking?How does comparing yourself to others make you feel? Generally not good, right? So in this episode we’re going to explore why we compare, how we compare and, most importantly, how to break free from this heartbreakingly futile habit.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

Be the Hero of Your Life 11.07.2026 20m

What if you could be the hero of your life?What if I told you that there is formula to living a heroic life? What if there was a basic framework, a roadmap that anybody could follow in order to become the hero of their own life?Well, there is. In this episode I’ll walk you through the exact formula step by step…You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

The Only Problem You Really Have 11.07.2026 14m

What’s the only problem you really have?What is the one illusion that most of us believe, that if we were to question it, to let go of it, would solve all of our so-called problems?Big set-up, I know.Have a listen to this podcast episode and decide for yourself if I “deliver’ on the answer .You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

Dealing With Expectations 11.07.2026 18m

How do you know if you have trouble dealing with expectations? Well…Ever have thoughts like “I have to be this, “I should be that,” “I must do this or that?”Or perhaps you perceive external pressure from others believing that they think you should, have to or must?Or maybe you say that of others… he or she should, has to or must…Yeah, we all have had these thoughts at points in our lives. These are expectations – expectations that we put on ourselves, we perceive that others place upon us or that we place upon others.We can have expectations when it comes to ourselves and others, and we can have expectations when it comes to the situations that we find ourselves in.Have you found yourself wishing that your current situation was different than what it is?How often have you wanted a relationship to be something that it is not?How often have you wished you were something that you are not? Or that someone in your life was different than what they are?How do you feel when you believe those thoughts? When you believe and apply these expectations?You feel bad, right? At the very least, not good. Perhaps you feel less than, no good, that you didn’t live up to the expectations. Often the primary emotion is disappointment – disappointment that you didn’t live up to your own expectations or others’ expectations or that other people didn’t live up to your expectations or that your life situation isn’t living up to your expectations.Ultimately, all expectations end in disappointment or heartbreak.So, how can we deal with expectations – expectations of ourselves, from others, that we hold others to and of our life situations – so that we no longer feel disappointment as a result?You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

Loneliness is a Choice 11.07.2026 26m

Is loneliness a choice?Now, I know the title of this podcast episode may be controversial.I mean no offence by it and I think you’ll understand that, along with what I mean by it once you’ve listened to the episode. So, as always, I just ask you to keep an open mind and notice if what I say resonates with you or not. If it does, wonderful, I encourage you to put it into practice in your own life. If not, that’s okay, too.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

How to Prevent Your Ego From Holding You Back 11.07.2026 14m

What if your ego is contributing to your anxiety? Find out how to prevent your ego from holding you back…Our ego, when we let it, has a tendency to hold us back from living the life we truly want to live. If we’re not aware of how it traps us, we can easily fall under its illusion of reality. And when this happens there’s the risk of furthering uncomfortable feelings like anxiety.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

How to Find Focus Amidst Distraction 11.07.2026 18m

Are you having trouble finding focus amidst distraction?Is it just me or does it seem like we are becoming more and more bombarded by distractions?Email notifications, Twitter and Facebook messages, ringing phones, beeps from mobile devices. As I’m writing this I probably have a dozen tabs open in my internet browser. All these gadgets, all this information battling for our attention. Not to mention other possible distractions like noises in the environment, the chatter of co-workers, crying children, someone calling a meeting, all the papers scattered all over our desk, advertisements, the television blaring, and on and on.In a sense, it’s an addiction.There’s instant positive feedback – right away you’re rewarded with something pleasurable – saying laughing at a friend’s post on Facebook – and you don’t feel the negative consequences until much later. The negative feedback – time lost, more important tasks being put off – all that is delayed.In addition to preventing us from getting done what we want to get done, distractions and lack of focus can affect our peace of mind, our stress levels and our happiness.The fact is we need some quiet, we need time to reflect and contemplate, some time where our minds can rest. Those distractions are stresses our minds were not meant to handle. We’re not adapted to dealing effectively with all these distractions.So what can we do about all this?Listen on…You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

Thoughts of Suicide 11.07.2026 13m

Have you had thoughts of suicide?I want to have an honest conversation about suicide.I know there’s many people who work in suicide prevention that say you have to be careful about this kind of thing. I get that. But I think sometimes we’re a little too careful… so careful that little ends up being said. People feel like they can’t talk about suicide… or can only do so behind closed doors.Unfortunately, I think suicide – even now in this day and age – is a taboo topic.We have to talk about this. How else are we going to help reduce the suicide rates if we don’t have real, honest conversations about suicide?If you’ve thought about suicide, if you’ve attempted suicide know that you’re not alone.What if all of us – from the student to the doctor to the artist to the stockbroker to the tech worker to the teacher and on and on – shared our story? Because we do all have a story.I know for myself and from speaking to clients, people are relieved to know they are not alone.The fact is anyone can have suicidal thoughts. Anyone. Even the so-called “best of us” or “strongest of us.”What if being open about suicide could make us stronger?What if by talking about it we made suicide one of those things that years from now we’ll look back and wonder why we ever whispered about it?So it’s in that spirit that I want to share my own story with you…Resources to Reach Out To1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) – National Hopeline Network1-800-273-TALK (8255) – National Suicide Prevention LifelineTo find a crisis centre nearest you…Canada: http://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/United States: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/our-network/You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

You're Exactly Where You Need to Be 11.07.2026 10m

So there’s something that I’ve been reflecting on lately that I thought I would share… this aspect of life that sometimes the hardest thing to do is to live exactly where you are and as who you are.Have you ever felt that?It’s a funny thing… growing up no one teaches you how to do that – to just live.Each morning we wake up caught between the person we once were and the person we are becoming, between the life you once lived and the one you are creating.And you’re kind of left to wonder if it’s possible to ever find some peace in that space between yesterday and tomorrow.So that’s what this episode is about – how we can embrace where we are right now and the fact that that is exactly where we need to be.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

How to Meditate Effortlessly Even if You've Never Meditated Before 11.07.2026 14m

Do you have a desire to learn how to meditate effortlessly?A question I often receive from clients and listeners of the podcast is, “How do I meditate?” I think we’re all pretty familiar with the benefits of meditation so I’m not going to use this time to go over that… the issue seems more about how to bring the act of meditation into our busy lives.Where do I even start?How do I even start?Some people even hold on to the belief that they “can’t meditate.” “I have ADHD. I can’t focus.” Or some similar so-called “reason” why they believe they can’t meditate.Well, I’m here to tell you that ANYONE can meditate. Not only that… we can all meditate effortlessly. A bold claim, maybe, but I think all it takes is a simple mindset shift about what meditation is in the first place.And that’s what I want to share with you in this episode… even if you’ve never meditated before or have tried and felt it “didn’t work” or you’re hesitant to start… I invite to accept this challenge and simply try out what I’m proposing in this episode and see what that experience is like for yourself.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

How to Make Resolutions Actually Stick 11.07.2026 15m

Do you set New Year’s resolutions? Do you know how to make resolutions so that they actually stick?I know some people laugh off the idea of setting resolutions and I don’t blame them… I think the statistic is that by the end of January something like 92% of resolutions have already failed.Doesn’t exactly conjure up hope, does it? If most people fail when it comes to sticking to their resolutions no wonder so many decide not to set any resolutions at all.Well, I want to share with you how we can improve our lives, why change is possible and how we can prevent ourselves from getting in the same rut again this year.It’s just a matter of knowing why typical resolutions don’t work in the first place and how a shift in your perspective about resolutions can make all the difference…You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

Loneliness Over the Holidays 11.07.2026 11m

Do you experience loneliness over the holidays?It’s that season again. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas it’s hard not be touched in some way by the festivities and sentiment of the season. I mean we’re inundated with it – Christmas music playing on the radio and in the department stores, Christmas lights hung on your neighbors’ homes, Santa Claus greeting kids at your local mall.And, it’s also a time when loneliness seems to become magnified. For some people, the weeks leading up to the holidays can be the most painful of the year.It may be from memories of deceased loved ones. For me, this will be the first Christmas without both of my grandparents joining us at the dinner table. It feels very strange and sad to think of that.Often the so-called “magic” of the holiday season we anticipate fails to meet our expectations. It’s just not what we hoped for.And one of the unfortunate complications of the holiday season is an added layer of guilt and frustration – that you can’t enjoy the holidays like you should be able to – like everyone else is doing. So not only do you feel bad, you feel guilty about feeling bad.I get it.What I want to share in this episode is a message of hope: to offer some steps to help you find the real answer to loneliness and make getting through this holiday season a little easier.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.Rather than homeplay I’d like to offer you a personal message…If you are by yourself over the holidays, I want you to know that, even in another way still, you are not alone. I want to share what I believe (maybe you won’t agree and that’s okay)… I believe that through our shared experience of social anxiety or depression or loneliness that we are brought together and because of that we are not alone. Through our shared experience of this podcast we are brought together.Sure, we’re not physically together and I may not even know your name, but I don’t think it necessarily has to work that way. Energy, prayer… whatever you wish to call it has a power I don’t think we’re really even fully aware of yet.So, with your permission and openness to receiving it, know that I’m thinking about you, and sending you warm wishes and good energy.

Mandela’s Example 04.02.2026 17m

I often find myself incorporating Nelson Mandela’s story and how he approached life, his attitude, into the Calm Living Blueprint because I think it offers a wonderful example of taking committed action even in the face of fear, pain and discomfort.So that’s what I want to examine in this podcast episode – five lessons I’ve learned from Mr. Mandela’s example.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

Is It Ever Too Late? 04.02.2026 20m

Is it ever too late?The other day one of my clients said, “Maybe it’s too late for me.” She felt defeated, like things had never gone right for her and she felt hopeless that things would ever go right for her.Now, this wasn’t a one-time thought. This particular person had this thought before. I’ve had other clients share similar hopeless thoughts and feelings before. I myself have had these thoughts before.Maybe you have, too. Maybe you’ve gotten to a place where you start questioning yourself…Are my best days behind me? Is it too late? Have I missed out on my life? Have I missed my big opportunity? Is the rest of my life just more of the same old same old?Well, as I told my client: nothing could be further from the truth. And I actually know that to be a fact. And in this podcast episode I’ll share how I know that to be fact and I’ll offer some tips to handle these types of hopeless thoughts and feelings so that they don’t inhibit you from doing what you want to do.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

The Seeds of Calm in Anxiety 04.02.2026 17m

What do I mean by the seeds of calm lie in anxiety?Well… the idea for today’s podcast episode came to me as I was reflecting on how to better help people open up and make space for feelings of anxiety rather than continuing to struggle with them. That’s something we’ve talked about in previous episodes, however it’s also one of those things that can be easier said than done.So upon reflecting on my own experience I realized that the biggest shift for me in regards to being able to make space for anxiety came when I shifted my perspective of anxiety – when I changed how I viewed anxiety.In today’s episode I’d like to share how I shifted by perspective on anxiety, how I shifted my consciousness and how I came to look at it as a gift.Yes, I said “a gift.”You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

How to Stop Ruminating and Gain Meaning from Painful Memories 04.02.2026 14m

Ever wonder how to stop ruminating?Have you ever gotten stuck thinking about a past trauma or negative event, a problem or really any kind of setback… over and over again… you just can’t stop thinking about it… like a hamster running in a hamster wheel in his cage your thoughts just seem to run around and around and around…?Yeah, that’s called rumination. And the results of a massive study just came out that show rumination – dwelling on the negative – may be the best predictor of depression and anxiety, as well as determining the level of stress people experience.So in today’s episode we’re going to discuss the results of this study, what the results mean to you, plus we’re going to beyond the results and I’m going to teach you how you can turn rumination in to something to your advantage, a technique you can use to actually lessen anxiety and improve your mood.32 827 people from 127 different countries took part in this online stress test. Here is a link to the study: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/0/24451567You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

How to Stop Blushing and Relax 04.02.2026 27m

Have you ever blushed?Of course you have. We all blush.There’s nothing wrong with blushing however blushing can become a concern when we feel anxious about blushing. We’re afraid of blushing or when we blush we get anxious about blushing and that just further adds to our overall anxiety.So this episode is devoted to blushing – specifically how to deal with blushing so that it no longer causes anxiety for you.You can download the blushing meditation .mp3 here.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.

How to Sleep Like A Baby Even if You Have Anxiety Part II 04.02.2026 21m

So, how have you been sleeping? What changes have you made since the last episode to improve your sleep?In episode 19 we tackled the environmental and behavioural factors that can affect our sleep and what we can do to overcome them and improve upon them to optimize our sleep.In this episode we’re going to continue to cover the top tips and strategies to help you sleep like a baby, even if you experience anxiety… and we’re going to tackle more of the psychological factors that can affect your sleep.You can download the transcript of this episode by clicking here.